Football

3 Corsair Football Players Honored By MASCAC Office

Oct 13, 2013

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Three members of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth football team were honored by the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference office for their performances in the Corsairs victory over Bridgewater State University on Friday night.

Sophomore Derek Tarpey (Tewksbury, Mass.) was selected as the Defensive Player of the Week, while freshman Cullen Hanna (Richmondville, N.Y.) was chosen as the Rookie of the Week. Sophomore Abiola Aborishade (Attleboro, Mass.) was named to the weekly honor roll.

Tarpey established a new career-high for tackles in a single-game with 22 to spearhead the UMass Dartmouth defensive attack. The sophomore from Tewksbury, Mass. put an additional stop between his previous high-water mark of 21 at Western New England on Nov. 3, 2012. Tarpey was consistently in the Bears backfield with five tackles for a loss and a sack. He also forced both of the fumbles that were recovered by the Corsairs, including a 63-yard touchdown return by Trevor MacNeil that whittled the hosts deficit to three points late in the third quarter.

A starter in all five games, Tarpey leads the MASCAC in tackles per game (10.6) and forced fumbles (2), while ranking among the leaders in total tackles (2nd, 53) and tackles for a loss (3rd, 11). He also reached double digits in tackles (10) in the UMD victory over Plymouth State on Sept. 28. Tarpey has recorded two sacks on the season.

Hanna engineered four second-half scoring drives to help UMass Dartmouth erase a 22-point halftime deficit against Bridgewater State. The Richmondville, N.Y. product completed 17-of-29 attempts to produce a season-high 179 passing yards and three touchdowns. Hanna sandwiched a pair of TD strikes to Aborishade between a seven-yard reception to Kevin Wadsworth. He led the Corsairs on his first career fourth-quarter game-winning drive, covering 74 yards in just three plays. Hanna's 39-yard touchdown pass to Aborishade capped a 33-point second half comeback.

Hanna, a starter in all five games, has completed 55.4 percent of his passes for 551 yards and seven touchdowns. The first-year signal caller has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of his five career contests. He eclipsed the 100-yard mark three times, including a 118-yard performance at Westfield State. Hanna also registered his first career rushing TD against the Bears.

Aborishade made his second appearance on the MASAC weekly honor roll after earning a spot for the week ending Sept. 28 (Plymouth State). The sophomore wide receiver from Attleboro, Mass. accounted for 163 all-purpose yards in the victory over Bridgewater State. Aborishade hauled in a game-high 10 receptions for 111 receiving yards and a pair of TDs. He helped the Corsairs crack the scoring column in the third quarter with a five-yard touchdown reception, while making the game-winning catch on a 39-yard score down the right sideline. Aborishade provided the hosts with some insurance by pulling in the two-point conversion to push the UMass Dartmouth lead to four points. He also carried the ball four times for 52 yards.

Aborishade has emerged as the Corsairs top-offensive weapon, ranking sixth in the conference circuit in scoring (44 points). In 2013, he has 26 receptions for 261 receiving yards. Aborishade is third in the MASCAC in touchdown receptions with six. He has also gained 195 yards on the ground and one TD. Aborishade has carried the ball 12 times, averaging 16.2 yards per carry. His 93-yard touchdown run against the Panthers is the longest run from scrimmage in the MASCAC this season.

UMass Dartmouth (2-3, 2-2 MASCAC) will return to action at 12 p.m. on Saturday, October 19, when the Corsairs host MASCAC foe Worcester State University (3-2, 1-2).